These Greek nachos with fresh veggies and a creamy cilantro sauce are zesty and 100% plant-based (essentially Mediterranean nachos)!
Where do you flee to in your mind when life gets overwhelming? For me it is Greece. I’m imagining a view like this below. This is a photo we took three years ago on our trip to Santorini while trying to escape something overwhelming. It’s a long story (here’s the long version), but in short, we tried to start a family and it didn’t work. Well-meaning friends and strangers jump in, like “Relax! It happens when you are relaxed and not thinking about it.So after thinking about it too much, we decided that a trip to Europe would certainly do the magic. Read on to learn more about our trip to Greece and this Greek nachos recipe.
Related: 12 quick dinner recipes
A trip to Greece
We escaped to Santorini and met my best friend and sister in an upstairs whitewashed bungalow. It was straight out of a movie and made us feel inspired and carefree. We stayed up late drinking wine and laughing, hiking to nearby villages for a swim and eating our weight in fresh Greek salad. Unfortunately, the spell still didn’t work.
On the other hand, we had an amazing holiday in a new country that inspired our way of cooking from that day on. So there was still some magic, but not the magic we were hoping for. We’ve been inspired by Mediterranean cuisine for years, but trying it under the sparkling Greek sun was pure magic.
Related: Things to do in Santorini, Greece
Some Greek Recipes and Fusion Greek Nachos
Back home, the Indiana summer produce was ripe for conversion into Greek cuisine. After much research we have created our take on the traditional Greek salad, this refreshing combination of tomato, cucumber, Kalamata olives and feta cheese. Baked feta, a block of sticky feta cheese heated in the oven with tomatoes and olive oil, was a new favorite that we shared with a bottle of wine and flatbread. And of course we had to perfect the tzatziki, that fresh yoghurt and cucumber spread to drizzle on flatbread.
When I interviewed pizza maker and restaurateur Chris Bianco for our podcast, he mentioned that while traditional food has its place, Part of cooking is also creating your own dishes inspired by these time-tested traditions. In that sense, these Greek nachos are in no way traditional (I mean, they’re Mediterranean nachos). At the same time, however, they draw inspiration from the flavors and sensations of Greece.
How to make Greek nachos
What’s in These Greek Nachos? Sweet summer tomatoes, fresh cucumbers and lightly flavored kidney beans are spread on crunchy pita chips and smothered in a fresh green cilantro sauce. Unlike most dishes we’ve had in Greece, these Greek nachos are vegan, meaning 100% plant-based! And they don’t lack flavor at all. Eat them as a healthy meal or appetizer. It’s a delicious summer weekday meal to enjoy on the terrace with a glass of rosé in hand.
For these Greek Nachos, we asked you to make your own pita chips. These homemade pita chips call for a za’atar topping. In case you’re unfamiliar, zaatar is a traditional Middle Eastern spice blend that typically includes toasted sesame seeds, thyme, sumac, and salt. If you don’t feel like finding new ingredients, you can leave them out: but it adds a nice complexity to the nachos!
The cilantro sauce for these Greek nachos is one of our favorites: it’s creamy and delicious with soaked cashew nuts as the base. It’s 100% plant-based (vegan), which is good since many Mediterranean-style recipes include cheese! Not that we’re against cheese at all! It’s just nice to have completely plant-based options, isn’t it?
Related: How to make vegan nacho cheese
Looking for Mediterranean recipes?
Mediterranean recipes are common on our table. Aside from these Greek nachos, here are some of the recipes inspired by our trip to Greece and all of our Mediterranean recipes:
This recipe is…
This Greek nachos recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free. For gluten-free bread, use gluten-free flatbread.
The description
These Greek Nachos are flavorful and healthy with fresh veggies and a creamy cilantro sauce. Unique to many Mediterranean recipes, they are also vegan.
- 1 Homemade Pita Chips Recipe (optional with Za’atar Seasoning)
- 1/2 english cucumber
- 1 cup quartered grape tomatoes
- ½ cup diced Kalamata olives
- 15– ounce can of kidney beans
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for sprinkling
- Black pepper
- Creamy cilantro sauce for serving
- Start by soaking the cashews for the creamy cilantro sauce (or soak the cashews beforehand or overnight).
- Prepare homemade pita chips.
- Dice the cucumber and quarter the tomatoes; Sprinkle both lightly with kosher salt. chop olives Drain and rinse beans; In a small bowl, toss the beans with olive oil, kosher salt, and a few freshly ground black peppercorns.
- Prepare the creamy coriander sauce.
- To serve, arrange the pita chips on a plate. Garnish with vegetables and beans and drizzle with cilantro sauce and additional olive oil (if desired). Sprinkle with chopped coriander and serve.
- Category: main course
- Method: Mix
- Kitchen: Greek
